Brexit campaign on hold for 2nd day after lawmaker’s murder

London, June 17: CampaigningoverwhethertheUKshould quit the European Union was suspended for a second day on Friday after the murder of Labour lawmaker Jo Cox, an advocate for voting to stay in next week’s referendum.

Events planned by the two main campaign groups were cancelled, while publication of opinion polls and an International Monetary Fund report were delayed until the weekend as tributes were paid to Cox. Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Bank of England governor Mark Car ney all cancelled or shortened appearances on Thursday.

Cox, 41, was shot dead in the town of Birstall, northern England, in the early afternoon on Thursday. She was a fervent supporter of Britain remaining in the EU, as well as a champion of the poor and of Syrian refugees. Her murder followed an increasingly acrimonious debate over the referendum, with opinion polls putting “Vote Leave” ahead by several percentage points.

Clarke Rothwell, an eyewitnesstoCox’skilling,saidhehad seen a man shoot and then stab her. “The words I heard him say was ‘Britain First’ or ‘Put BritainFirst’,”Rothwellsaidin a BBC television interview. “He shouted it at least twice.”

Dee Collins, West Yorkshire Police’s temporary chief constable, said in a televised news conference that police were “not in a position to discuss any motive”. She said a 52year-old man had been arrested and police weren’t looking for anyone else after recovering a number of weapons. The BBC said the man had been named locally as Tommy Mair. Bloomberg

Police work at the scene of the murder of Labour member of parliament Jo Cox in Birstal near Leeds, Britain on Friday